In Which The Warlock Rolls Well...But Not Well Enough...

As with the last few years, the Wittenberg Feast of Steve went off without a hitch.  The Feast of Steve, you non-Witt gamers out there, is our yearly celebration of the guild mascot, Steve the Badger, during which we have a great spaghetti dinner and then distribute posters for WittCon around campus.

Solid!  The d20 Blaxploitation Experience

However, in honor of Black History Month, the Enigmatic Mr. Ebbs decided to run a special one shot to coincide with the event.  In the spirit of his infamous LARP, "Whatever Happened to Clevon Washington?" we broke out a copy of Solid:  the d20 Blaxploitation Experience.  This, above all else, was an exercise in political INcorrectness.

Based on the d20 Modern rules, Solid! attempts to emulate the blaxploitation films of the 70s, like Three the Hard Way, Super Fly, and the immortal Shaft.  With prestige classes like "Hustler", "Foxy Lady" and "Private Dick", the mechanics emulate the genre pretty well, all told.  But, the game doesn't really take flight unless you've got the right players.

Enter CincinnAdam.  Playing a Preacher-Man named Brother Ezekiel Johnson, he hammed it up, promising hellfire and .45 shells for any "damned sinner that dared harm the sheep of his flock."  But it didn't stop there, no sir!  Evil-Parallel-Universe-Andy took on the role of Hung Solo, a Street Hustler eager to find out what had happened to his streetwalkin' ladies.



Look out, Shaft!
Jack Boot's on the case!



And yours truly?  I took up the role of a Private Dick:  Jack "Steele Toe" Boot, a trainee on the force, taking over for Will the ManMan's retiring "Black Bart". 

The scenario was a simple one.  Find out what's been happening to a series of missing people in River City's hood, and figure out what exactly The Man--Mr. Biggs Masterson--has to do with it.  After putting the squeeze on one of Jack Boot's snitches, we found our way to one of The Man's warehouses, which was heavily guarded.  After putting the stomp on the guards, we got in somewhat over our heads, fighting against a horrid foe that turned out to be none other than the Son of Blackula!

After duking it out with Son of Blackula for a time, the villain attempted to make an escape.  Brother Ezekiel, who had fallen in the clash, lay on the ground unconscious with his gem-studded gold cross scattered on the floor.  Thinking fast, Jo-Mama Waffle picked it up, tossing it to Jack Boot just as Son of Blackula was about to slip out the far door...


That's right, sucker!  You better run!

 ...with my Black Die of Doom in hand--my player-killing, bubble-near-the-18 d20 in hand--I asked to make a ranged attack with it, throwing the cross like a knife.  EEE agreed, and I tossed the die with nonchalance.

Natural 20!

The table erupted with glee.  EEE had me toss 2d10, then double it for damage, as the cross caught Son of Blackula right in the back.  Unfortunately for me, my d10s were nowhere near as a hot as my d20.  With a 2 and a 4, the crit turned into naught but a grazing blow, and Son of Blackula escaped into the night.

Such is life, as a gamer.  Sometimes the dice love you.  Sometimes, they just won't...